ZuZu, I'm glad you mention to take 3 readings. My first reading is always very high, but my second reading goes down as much as 30 points systolic, within a few minutes. From now on I will take the 3 readings and average the 2. and 3. These will be the numbers I take to the doctor.

I was told that you can take your blood pressure sitting up or Laying down! Thats what 3 doctors told me.. People in hospital beds who cant sit up have Blood pressure monitoring 24/7 while laying down--Dont be fooled with the media hype! Rested and laying down Gives me the same exact results as sitting up in a chair--Either way i get a reading at rest of 114/70! No meds! I'm 50 years old never smoked i dont eat fried foods fast foods and i walk on a tread mil 30 mins a day 5 days a week after work.. High BPP runs in my family my dad died from it at 62! 114/70 at rest--Sometime when very relaxed i get a reading of 108/65!!!!!! I'm happy with those readings..... Sometimes you have to walk away from the everyday hype.. Sit up lay down dont lay down --enough already! BTW--My dad ate everything fried He smoked and didnt care how heavy he was getting! Foolish!

your blood pressure should not be the same laying down vs sitting up. It may be similar (and should be) but it shouldnt be the same. Laying down increases return to the heart and does raise pressure to some extent.

Pressure readings shouldnt be the same laying down? 3 Doctors confirm that with me and i see it on 2 of my top of the line home bp devices.. Sometimes i see a point or 2 difference but over all its the same! Its not like 114 laying down and 136 sitting up! Maybe 114 laying down 115 116 sitting up! Thats with me.. My wife same thing! To be honest I always see lower pressure readings while laying down-then sitting--This morning my Pressure was 112/68 laying down--Sitting up now--115/70.. Pennys not quarters and 1/2 dollors 1,2,3, points difference.. Again we are talking little change in numbers laying down or sitting up--Personally most times i dont see any change--sometimes like this morning... Well have a great day all--Fresh fruit some oatmeal for breakfast--Not Fried eggs and bacon-Loaded with butter and maybe a donut.. Wont ever happen--and people wonder why their health is on the rocks.. 50 years old--never felt better!

Yes the position which has been suggested is right and also have to make sure your elbow is at the same level as your heart. An elbow that is even a couple of inches below the heart can make the reading as much as 17 points higher than it should be. So proper position is very important.

Yes. Make sure though that your back is supported. Also arm should be palm up, limp and relaxed. Make sure also that both feet are on the floor.

My cardiologist suggests you take 3 readings, each about 2-3 minutes apart.
Throw out the first reading, then average the other two.

zuzu

When I was first diagnosed with hypertension, I was all freaked out about it, and it didn't help that in the course of one day, I might take fifteen different readings, and have them range from 120/65 to 190/115, there just didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for the ups and downs. I finally found a precription drug program that was effective in turning the "trend" down for the better, and I resolved to not stress myself out anymore taking so many readings, or taking them at drugstores or supermarkets. I take my pressure twice a day, at the same time every day, after sitting quietly for exactly five minutes (I time it with a little $5 kitchen timer I got it Target, just for this purpose). No TV, no nothing. Just quiet. I take three measurement, like you have suggested, and wait two minutes between each one, sitting quietly. Then I throw out the first one, and average the second and third. What I walk away with is confidence in knowing I have gotten an accurate reading, so I don't spend the rest of my day stressing about what it is. By the way, the first reading is almost ALWAYS higher in my case, especially on the systolic....sometimes the second and third readings will be up to 30 points lower than the first, but the second and third reading are usually very close to each other. This morning, for example:

1.)157/90/71(pulse)
2.)129/81/67
3.)133/77/66
=AVERAGE (of #2 and #3) of 131/79/66, and that's what I write down.

I do this once in the morning before I have my coffee, and once about an hour before I go to bed. My doctor is cool with it, as a matter of fact, he told me it was a great idea....so thanks. This tip helped me a LOT.